1. Field of Invention
The invention relates, generally, to an illumination device for a motor vehicle and, more specifically, to such a device a light guide of which is relatively strongly curved and/or first decoupling elements together with reflectors assigned to them of the device are arranged relatively tightly packed on the light guide.
2. Description of Related Art
An illumination device for a motor vehicle is described in DE 10 2008 016 764. If a light guide of the device is relatively strongly curved and/or if first decoupling elements together with reflectors assigned to them of the device are arranged relatively tightly packed on the light guide, then danger exists that light beams will be deflected in an undesirable direction or be absorbed within the device. A light beam that has been reflected by/from a reflector can impinge on a rear side of an adjacent reflector so that light cannot again penetrate the light guide unimpeded. Overall, the device, therefore, exhibits a relatively low efficiency in the case of the light guides being relatively strongly curved or first decoupling elements being arranged relatively tightly packed on the light guide. That means that of the light that is coupled-in the light guide, a relatively low percentage of such light will be emitted in accordance with a desired pre-defined light distribution.
Thus, there is a need in the related art for an illumination device for a motor vehicle that, in the case of decoupling elements thereof being arranged relatively tightly next to each other and/or light guides of the device being relatively strongly curved, exhibits a high degree of efficiency. More specifically, there is a need in the related art for such a device light beams of which will not be deflected in an undesirable direction or absorbed within the device. Also, there is a need in the related art for such a device light of which can again penetrate a light guide unimpeded. Furthermore, there is a need in the related art for such a device a relatively high percentage of light of which that is coupled-in the light guide will be emitted in accordance with a desired pre-defined light distribution.